The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1887-03-30


HIM letter for the Captain recognizing
the Allie Rowe as recruiting vessel to go
on private venture for Iaborers. The sec
Ond letter was the result of that converse
ton, and asked only for permission. The
first had asked for the Captain TO go as a
Government agent. Had an interview with
Mr.. Gibson a month or two after about the
letter, but did not get any definite reason
for his failing to send it as promised. When
he received verbal permission he wrote a
letter OF instructions to the Captain, in
which the following passage occurs: elf
the Minister does not send US a coRmis-
sion before you sail, you will receive it at
Savannah harbor by next mail from Auck-
land" Mr. Cooke was then cross-exam-
ined as to his communication with Mr.. At
water after the arrival OF the Allie Rowe,
but no new point was elected. He tele-
phoned to Mr.. Atwater in his official ca
pacitv,
A recess was taken at this point. At
hat-past one the crOss-eXaminatiOn was
resumed: Was agent for the brig Hazard
IN October, 1884. The laborers were landed
In precisely the same way as those by the
Allie Rowe. The Julia arrived i'll 1882.
Her immigrants were taken direct from
the vessel to the Interisland boats
Rc-eXamined by the Attorney General:
BY a private venture | mean where the
expenses are paid by private parties and
not by the Government. If the Govern
ment granted permission to private parties,
and yet paid no expenses, it would be gen
orally regarded as a Government enter
prise Thought that the written objection
by the Government had reference to the ex-
pense, although it might mean international
obligations connected with the vessel and
others. Further questions followed regard
ing his interviews with Mr.. Gibson. With
regard to the brig Hazard spoken of, there
was a Government agent on board; there
was also a Government agent on board the
Julia. In November, 1885, and December,
1886, witness had brought up Island
laborers without any Government agent,
and they had been distributed without in
reference by the Government They
were brought in his own account
Mr. ThurstOn argued that this was no
offense. Anyone had a right to import
laborers from Japan or anywhere else, ex-
w
they were lawfully landed He objected
to this line of examination.
Objection overruled and redirect examin-
ton resumed: The Malolo brought q or
% in 1885 and took them back the follow
ing year, bringing 81 in 1886. There was
no Government agent ON board to see them
land. These were private ventures
Charles T. Guick, examined by the At
tOrney General: | am an agent to take
acknowledgements for labor contracts.
[ took acknowledgements ON board the
Allie Rowe, in Honolulu harbor, on the
18th of this month. I took 125 acbnowl-
edgments. The persons acknowledging
contracts were dark skinned men. The
contract was three years in all cases | do
not know where the contracts were signed.
They were all complete when placed in my
hands. The signatures or marks of the
people were made previous to being placed
in my hands, and l do not know how long
before. L personally talked in English to
them in groups. There were numbers in
the different groups to speak English
well enough to communicate with me and
then with each other. They were grouped
according to the island from which they
came. There were number who appar-
entity understood English. | did not ask
them what they came here for further
than the natural questions regarding the
contract and their agreement to it.
acted i'll the first place for Castle d Cooke,
and when the plantations for which they
were agents were disposed of, at the re-
quest of Mr.. Lose, of Hackfeld q Co, |
acted for them. | saw no passengers on
board except dark skinned people. | took
no acknowledgment from two white men
as parties to the labor contract
His Excellency Walter NJ Gibson, ex-
amined by the Attorney GeneraI In Sep
TENDER, 1886, | was Minister of the Interior
and ex-officio President of the Board of
l remember the President
of the Pacific Navigation Company making
application for authority to recruit for
labor in the South Seas. l also remember |
my action in refusing that permission. |
Argument ensued on the question: did |
you al any time after that refusal tell Mr.. |
Cooke that he might have permission9''
Mr.. ThurStOn argued that this raised the
question of veracity between Mr.. Cooke
and Mr.. Gibson. Both were witnesses for
he Crown, and 1T was a well established
'ule of law that party to suit could not
his own witness. The At
orney General disclaimed such purpose,
md the Court ruled that the examination
night proceed MIR. Gibson then deposed
hat before the first application had been
eceived in conversation with Mr.. Cooke
egarding recruiting in the South Seas,
eference was made to the fact that the
government had previously permitted
his, by authorizing Captains of vessels to
ct as agents. Witness said the Govern
nent now looked at the matter differently:
hat it was viewed with disfavor by foreign
ations and that there had been wrong
ding in connection with it, of which our
wn Courts had to take cognizance; that
Or these reasons the Government would
OF undertake it and would not authorize
rivate parties to undertake it under the
hawaiian flag. That was before the first
,tter was received. Upon its receipt he
ictated the reply that had been read. In
subsequent to this letter &